Eros
In Greek mythology, Eros (Greek: Ερος, "sexual desire") is the name of two deities, a primordial deity and an Olympian god. God Eros is one of the Erotes and the winged god of sexual desire and attraction. He is a son and companion of Aphrodite who was born shortly after she arose from the sea foam with his twin brother, Himeros. Eros' sacred attributes include the bow and arrows, a hare, a sash, and a flower. He married Psyche and fathered Hedone by her. In Roman mythology, he is equated with Cupid. Mythology Psyche was the youngest of three daughters of a king and queen of an unnamed city. When the admirers of Psyche began praying to her rather than Aphrodite, Aphrodite was angered and sent Eros to make her fall in love with someone hideous. However, Eros accidentally scratched himself with his own arrow and he fell deeply in love with Psyche. Due to a prophecy that her father heard that she would marry a dragon-like creature who harasses the world with fire and iron and is feared by even Zeus, Psyche's father left her on a mountain to die of exposure. However, Zephyrus transported the woman to a meadow where she fell asleep. After awakening, she found a house and heard a voice which told her to make herself comfortable and is fed and entertained. This voice was Eros. Eros eventually convinced Psyche to agree to marry him even though she had never seen him as Eros always came to her home after dark and left before sunrise. After becoming pregnant, Eros had Zephyrus transport Psyche to visit her family. They were ecstatic when she arrived but her sisters quickly became envious of her happiness and urged her to find out the true identity of her husband; they convinced her that she was married to the fearsome dragon creature. Once returning home, she waited until her husband was asleep and then she turned on a lamp. After accidentally scratching herself on an arrow and falling even more deeply in love with Eros, he awakened and fled from her. In order to win back the love of her husband, Psyche turned to Aphrodite who had her complete four labors. #For her first labor, Aphrodite gave Psyche a pile of mixed grains and ordered her to sort them overnight. Although impossible, the task was completed by a fleet of ants who helped her sort the grains. #Her second task was to cross a river and take the golden wool of carnivorous sheep sacred to Helios. With the help of a divinely inspired reed, Psyche safely crossed the river and retrieved the wool. #Psyche's third task was to retrieve a vial of water from the River Styx. She fell into despair but Zeus sent his sacred eagle to defeat the dragons about to attack her and retrieve the water for her. #Her last task was to travel to the Underworld and retrieve some of the beauty ointment of Persephone. Once she successfully completed the labors, Aphrodite allowed Psyche and Eros to live their lives together as well as grant Psyche immortality. Primordial deity Eros is the primordial god of procreation. He is the driving force behind each new generation of life. He emerged shortly after the creation of the universe, only after Chaos, Gaea, and Tartarus. Eros was the father of the first birds of the sky by Chaos. Category:Greek mythology Category:Greek deities Category:Greek primordial deities Category:Greek gods